Merson: international break could give Leeds an edge over Arsenal

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Arsenal return to Premier League action this weekend with a warning ringing in their ears. Paul Merson believes the quick turnaround from the international break could hand Leeds an unlikely advantage at the Emirates on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's side face Daniel Farke's Leeds in a 12:30pm kick-off, just days after 15 members of the Arsenal squad returned from international duty. Speaking on Sky Sports News, Merson argued that the lack of preparation time could level the playing field against a Leeds side many would expect Arsenal to beat comfortably.

“A lot of players go away in the international break at Arsenal,” Merson said. “They probably came back yesterday, did a little warm-up so they literally get today and a little bit tomorrow, running through set-plays and patterns, and then they're kicking off at 12:30pm on Saturday.”

He continued: “So there hasn't been a lot of time and I think it's a bit of a leveller for Leeds, this is a little bit of an advantage for Leeds that they're playing straight after the international break at 12:30pm.”

Leeds dealing with their own disruption

It is worth noting Leeds were far from immune to the international break themselves, with 21 players called up to represent their countries, including England goalkeeper James Trafford. Farke's side also arrive at the Emirates with injury concerns of their own, as Dan James and Joe Rodon are both set to miss the trip to north London.

Arsenal boosted by returning faces

Arteta, for his part, could welcome back a host of key names this weekend. Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie and Ben White are all hoped to be available having returned from international duty, offering the manager a fuller squad to choose from despite the condensed preparation time Merson referenced.

The timing of this fixture carries extra significance given Arsenal's last outing. The Gunners were beaten 3-0 by Brighton in their previous Premier League match, a result that leaves them needing an immediate response against a newly-promoted Leeds side looking to cause an upset of their own.

Whether Merson's theory about rhythm and fatigue plays out in practical terms will become clear soon enough. Arsenal will be looking to put the Brighton defeat behind them and re-establish control at the top of the table when the two sides meet at the Emirates on Saturday.